3 Views of the Church, 3of3

~ 3 “B” Word Pictures from Ephesians; Bride ~

 

|||* BOOKS EXTRAVAGANZA: See Below *|||

 

Bride  ~  “Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her, that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word, that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish. So husbands ought to love their own wives as their own bodies; he who loves his wife loves himself. For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as the Lord does the church. For we are members of His body, of His flesh and of His bones. ‘For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.’ This is a great mystery, but I speak concerning Christ and the church. Nevertheless let each one of you in particular so love his own wife as himself, and let the wife see that she respects her husband” (Ephesians 5:25-33).

 

The true Church of Jesus Christ is the bride of Christ and Christ is the Bridegroom.

 

How about you? Are you excitedly waiting for the divine wedding feast?

 

~ Robert Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT LIFE NOW blog.

 

AWARD-WINNING CHRISTIAN NON-FICTION

Half-Price eBooks ~ Right now you can obtain any, or all, of my eBooks for half-price (epub). Only at https://www.smashwords.com/books/search?query=robert+lloyd+russell 

 

Choose From:

          Christian Concepts Series

GOD’S CHURCH: Christ’s Pearl

GOD’S NATURE: Sonlight Sunlight

GOD’S CHILD: Like A Tree

 

                     Christian Growth Series

GOD’S DESIRE: How to Finish Strong

GOD’S LIGHT: How to Respond

CHRIST’S DISCIPLE: How to Finish Strong

 

                     Christian Theology Series

CHRIST’S BLOOD: 7+ Amazing Benefits

PRIDE: Good and Bad

TEMPTATION: 50+ Tips

 

                     Bible Character Series

SAMSON: Spirit-Controlled to Self-Centered

PETER: Failure to Faith

 

                     Missions

JIM ELLIOT: Recorded Messages 

 

For Specific Information about individual books go to:

https://www.booksrlr.com/

 

* * * * *

3 Views of the Church, 2of3

 ~ 3 “B” Word Pictures from Ephesians: Body ~

 

|||* BOOKS EXTRAVAGANZA: See Below *|||

 

Body  ~  “And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ— from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love” (Ephesians 4:11-16).  “For the husband is head of the wife, as also Christ is head of the church; and He is the Savior of the body. Therefore, just as the church is subject to Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in everything” (Ephesians 5:23-24).

 

The true Church of Jesus Christ is like the human body where Christ is the Head.

 

~ Robert Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT LIFE NOW blog.

 

AWARD-WINNING CHRISTIAN NON-FICTION

Half-Price eBooks ~ Right now you can obtain any, or all, of my eBooks for half-price (epub). Only at https://www.smashwords.com/books/search?query=robert+lloyd+russell 

 

Choose From:

          Christian Concepts Series

GOD’S CHURCH: Christ’s Pearl

GOD’S NATURE: Sonlight Sunlight

GOD’S CHILD: Like A Tree

 

                     Christian Growth Series

GOD’S DESIRE: How to Finish Strong

GOD’S LIGHT: How to Respond

CHRIST’S DISCIPLE: How to Finish Strong

 

                     Christian Theology Series

CHRIST’S BLOOD: 7+ Amazing Benefits

PRIDE: Good and Bad

TEMPTATION: 50+ Tips

 

                     Bible Character Series

SAMSON: Spirit-Controlled to Self-Centered

PETER: Failure to Faith

 

                     Missions

JIM ELLIOT: Recorded Messages 

3 Views of the Church, 1of3

~ 3 “B” Word Pictures from Ephesians: Building ~

 

|||* BOOKS EXTRAVAGANZA: See Below *|||

 

Building  ~  “Now, therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone, in whom the whole building, being fitted together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord, in whom you also are being built together for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit” (Ephesians 2:19-22). “For we are God’s fellow workers; you are God’s field, you are God's building. According to the grace of God which was given to me, as a wise master builder I have laid the foundation, and another builds on it. But let each one take heed how he builds on it. For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ” (1 Corinthians 3:9-11).

 

The true Church of Jesus Christ is like a building where Christ is the Foundation.

 

~ Robert Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT LIFE NOW blog.

 

AWARD-WINNING CHRISTIAN NON-FICTION

Half-Price eBooks ~ Right now you can obtain any, or all, of my eBooks for half-price (epub). Only at https://www.smashwords.com/books/search?query=robert+lloyd+russell 

 

Choose From:

          Christian Concepts Series

GOD’S CHURCH: Christ’s Pearl

GOD’S NATURE: Sonlight Sunlight

GOD’S CHILD: Like A Tree

 

                     Christian Growth Series

GOD’S DESIRE: How to Finish Strong

GOD’S LIGHT: How to Respond

CHRIST’S DISCIPLE: How to Finish Strong

 

                     Christian Theology Series

CHRIST’S BLOOD: 7+ Amazing Benefits

PRIDE: Good and Bad

TEMPTATION: 50+ Tips

 

                     Bible Character Series

SAMSON: Spirit-Controlled to Self-Centered

PETER: Failure to Faith

 

                     Missions

JIM ELLIOT: Recorded Messages 

7 Called Outs

 ~ Changes As A Child Of God ~

Introduction  ~ Looking back at the history of “Abundant Life Now” posts, we discovered that there have been 60 posts entitled “7 [topic]” through June 2021.  Surprisingly, that equals two months’ worth of daily posts since the beginning of ALN on October 21, 2009.  During each day of this seventh month of 2021, each ALN post is a “7 [topic].”     

The Church  ~  The common English translation of the Greek word for the Church universal in the New Testament is Ecclesia which contains two root concepts: the preposition ek means “out from” of “out of” while the verb kaleo means “summoned” or “called.”  Combining the two we find the meaning of the Church of Jesus Christ is those who are “the called-out ones.”  This raises the question of called out from what?  There are at least seven areas of our calling out. 

Called-Out From Death To Life  ~  “And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins, in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience, among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, just as the others.  But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved)” (Ephesians 2:1-5). 

Called-Out From Darkness Into Light  ~  “But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; who once were not a people but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy” (1 Peter 2:9-10).

Called-Out From Impurity To Holiness  ~  “For God did not call us to uncleanness, but in holiness” (1 Thessalonians 4:7).  “Who has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was given to us in Christ Jesus before time began” (2 Timothy 1:9).

Called-Out From Satan’s Kingdom Into God’s Kingdom  ~  “He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love, in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins” (Colossians 1:13-14). 

Called-Out From Our Sin For Honorable Use  ~  “Does not the potter have power over the clay, from the same lump to make one vessel for honor and another for dishonor?” (Romans 9:21). 

Called-Out Through The Gospel Of Jesus Christ  ~  “For this reason we also thank God without ceasing, because when you received the Word of God which you heard from us, you welcomed it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the Word of God, which also effectively works in you who believe” (1 Thessalonians 2:13).

Called-Out From A Nations On Earth To A Heavenly Citizenship  ~  Jesus said, “The kingdom of heaven is like a merchant [Jesus Christ] seeking beautiful pearls, who, when He had found one pearl of great price [His Church], went and sold all that he had and bought it” (Matthew 13:45-46).  Note: pearls come from the sea which in the Bible is often a term to describe the masses of humanity in the nations of the world.  This particular parallel is often misunderstood but there are very solid Scriptural reasons for interpreting the pearl as the true universal Church of Jesus Christ. 

Closing Comment  ~  If you would like to understand the true Church of Jesus Christ more fully I would recommend the eBook “GOD’S CHURCH: Christ’s Pearl” which is widely available internationally. 

~ Robert Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT LIFE NOW blog.

* * * * *

How To Find a Church

~ Finding the Right Local Church is Extremely Important ~

Introduction  ~  Finding an excellent local church can many times be very difficult.  The goal should be to find a church where the leaders (not just the senior pastor) are becoming more and more Christ-like and where the church is as close as possible to the early New Testament churches.  How do we do find that kind of church?  By all means the choice should be bathed in earnest prayer.  Here are a few things to evaluate during church visits.

Leadership That Is Careful With Doctrine  ~  “Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15).  Search for a church which is Christ-like in care for correct doctrine.

Leadership That Is Careful With All The Sheep  ~  “My brethren, do not hold the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with partiality.  For if there should come into your assembly a man with gold rings, in fine apparel, and there should also come in a poor man in filthy clothes, and you pay attention to the one wearing the fine clothes and say to him, ‘You sit here in a good place,’ and say to the poor man, ‘You stand there,’ or, ‘Sit here at my footstool,’ have you not shown partiality among yourselves, and become judges with evil thoughts?” (James 2:1-4).  Search for a church which exhibits Christ-like care for all the sheep. 

One way to evaluate this is to watch the pastor (and other spiritual leaders) before and after the service.  Who do they mingle with and who do they seem to avoid?  One result of this type of leadership is a friendly congregation which welcomes visitors.  Jesus said, “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another.  By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another” (John 13:34-35).

Leadership That Is Careful With Their Own Lifestyle  ~  As a mentor to Timothy the Apostle Paul wrote, “Let no one despise your youth, but be an example to the believers in word, in conduct, in love, in spirit, in faith, in purity.  Till I come, give attention to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine.  Do not neglect the gift that is in you, which was given to you by prophecy with the laying on of the hands of the eldership.  Meditate on these things; give yourself entirely to them, that your progress may be evident to all.  Take heed to yourself and to the doctrine.  Continue in them, for in doing this you will save both yourself and those who hear you” (1 Timothy 4:12-16).  Paul walked his talk and could also write, “Imitate me, just as I also imitate Christ” (1 Corinthians 11:1).  Search for a church with leaders who are truly seeking to be Christ-like in their personal lives. 

Additional Thoughts  ~  (1) When our family was small my wife and I deliberately chose our local church based heavily upon where our children would grow spiritually.  This was much more important to us than the best fit for us as a couple.  (2) You may desire to review a previous post entitled “Church Choice” (Looking for a New Church?) which was posted on May 22, 2012. 

~ Robert Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT LIFE NOW

NOTES:

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